𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃

𝖳𝖧𝖮𝖴 𝖲𝖧𝖠𝖫𝖫 𝖭𝖮𝖳 𝖲𝖳𝖤𝖠𝖫

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𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐀 𝐒𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐋𝐘 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄. The ball had been in full throttle, with the pianoforte and harmony of violins she found herself at ease as she entered through the back doors and lightly treaded up the stairs behind the blackened doors. Anastasia held no weight upon her shoulders, no sweat upon her brow but instead a relaxed look, she discarded the paper on the floor beneath her.

Her mind was made up, there was nothing the ton could do or say that would embarrass her further and when she offered them something they couldn't refuse, they would fall back into place once more. She made certain her dress matched the occasion of a sweet revenge for the extermination of a rat amidst their walls.

A gift from England's treasury, a monument to society was how Anastasia had been perceived with her head raised high, face poised and shoulders hinged back. Her gown was near enough slim fitted with deep, velvet maroon shoulder straps made from lace that were embroidered within the dark satin along with flakes of gold.

The doors opened revealing the jewel within the kingdom, the footman's voice silencing the crowd as they turned to look up the stairwell. Her mother was perched with her Lady's in waiting and Brimsley, loyal dogs watching over their pup.

"Princess Anastasia, has an announcement," the room fell into a hush and the ominous clicks of her heels kissed the chipped floorboards. She overlooked the crowd with her hands clasped together in front of her as she loomed over the railing, taking in each face she saw, acting as if the oceans eyes were nothing but a pair of sinking stones.

"Good day to you all," she stated, clear as the nights crisp air with a deep tone under her words. Anastasia had to make sure that they understood that she was not the fool that Lady Whistledown made her out to be. "I understand that some of you may have ill stomachs for the future of when my reign over England will eventually be. However," her eyes sliced through the ton with a scrutinising gaze, "I am here to assure you that my voice will never fail me again, ever."

Penelope Featherington felt her heart jump as Anastasia's dark eyes met hers and she quickly looked to the floor.

"I am here to assure you that I am of perfect health and sane mind," a faux pondering look crossed her face. "Although, I must admit that I am more than enraged at this scribblers ways, she has scrutinised the crown, made crude comments to all of your families names and possibly cost you your titles in the process of gaining some coin." Mutters of agreement sounded throughout the room and the queen felt the corner of her lips quirk up, they had accepted her already.

"There will be a reward of not only five thousand pounds but the security of a place at my side, any Lord or Lady would have the choice of any eligible match. I am in fact quite confident that the vulgar woman herself is within these very walls," her voice lowered to a warning as she dug her fingers into her skin.

The ton looked at each other with suspicion but Eloise stared at Anastasia, eyes shining with a teary eyed expression. Only days had passed since they had seen one another since that tragic night and she could see how she'd changed, she'd become harsher and far colder. Though, when she mentioned the possibility that whomever came forth with Whistledown, their reward made her ears perked when she heard, place at my side.